Slaughterhouse formed in 2008 after the four soloists collaborated for the first time on a Joe Budden song called "Slaughterhouse." The rap quartet enjoyed some indie success when they dropped their self-titled debut on E1 in 2009 and eventually caught the attention of Eminem, who announced that he had signed the group in January 2011.

While Eminem is regarded as a lyrical god in rap circles, Slaughterhouse explained to MTV News that Slim Shady let the group do their own thing when recording the album, allowing the foursome to find their way. "He's kinda walking on eggshells around us creatively. He's telling us basically, 'Do exactly what y'all did last time. We're just gonna do it on a bigger level. Y'all don't need me to make records; y'all can do that,' " Royce told MTV News in September.

Still, just having Em involved in any capacity is exciting for the group. "He's a great person, and I think that's one of the things that makes me most excited about the project," Budden remarked. "Being with him, you just totally forget that he's one of the dopest rappers and he's so successful. He's a great person, and he's still a humongous fan of the culture and very much in tune with what's happening."

Ortiz echoed the sentiment: "He really is a fan, too, though. He's a fan of Slaughterhouse. When he comes in and listens to songs, it's not to critique them; it's to listen.

"I just feel like he's the perfect boss for this group, and we couldn't have a better home," Ortiz concluded.